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Forum Discussion
ReadyNAS DUO Memory Test
After finding a lot of posts about the memory test diagnostic utility on the DUO and the questions regarding the topic in the FAQ being mostly aimed at the NV and other devices with four or more drive LEDs, I thought I would post just a little bit more, targeting the DUO.
Now mind you, all of this was eventually cobbled together from posts all over the forums but I figured this might prove just a bit more useful if stuff was gathered in one place.
The FAQ topic covering the memory test is as follows:
The FAQ Topic -- 10.9: Is there a way I can verify if my memory is good?
The chief complaint with this is that it refers to there being four disk LEDs when the DUO only has two.
Everything is spelled out there but the main difference is that you should view the DUO as having only the first two of the four LEDs and so the eight-step test indication is shown using only the first two LEDs. So, when the test starts up the patterns will look like this:
10 00 Step 1
01 00 Step 2
11 00 Step 3
00 10 Step 4
10 10 Step 5
01 10 Step 6
11 10 Step 7
00 01 Step 8
The first column above are the first two binary digits in a binary counter and also represent the first two disk LEDs. On the DUO, you only see these first two digits/LEDs. For us DUO users, it appears that the tests run twice all by themselves. But remember, we only see the first two digits of the binary counter as it counts to eight. ;)
Also, when running, the power button LED will flash 2-3 times a second. As far as I can tell, as long as this is flashing, the unit is in this diagnostic mode and wont be accessible over the network.
Now when I ran my test, I ran it twice and the test reported no problems, i.e., the memory was good but the FAQ question lists what to look for if the test detects an issue. With the assumption that the LEDs are used as if there were four, if the test fails on the DUO, using this statement from the FAQ:
"If the first and second LED blink, followed by the 3rd and 4th LEDs, in alternating pattern, the memory is bad. "
I would expect the DUOs version would be the two disk LED will flash together, first on, then off, then on, etc. Mine finished and was shown by the power button still flashing and both disk LEDs illuminated.
In either case, the test is done at this point and will NOT reboot or boot up into normal mode. See below for what to do. My test took an hour and ten minutes to complete, with a 512 MB SoDIMM module installed. I ran the test twice, as suggested.
After each test is finished, the proper next step is to pull the power cord from the back of the DUO then reconnect and power back up, either repeating the memory test procedure of waiting for the LEDs to flash five times, or just powering up normally by pressing the power button once. This was posted here: http://www.readynas.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=101624#p101624
Anyway, I hope this helps folks who run the memory test on the DUO. There is nothing new in this post but I did collect some useful pieces of info so new DUO users don't panic when running the test.
My DUO was running 4.1.4 of the firmware, BTW.
Now mind you, all of this was eventually cobbled together from posts all over the forums but I figured this might prove just a bit more useful if stuff was gathered in one place.
The FAQ topic covering the memory test is as follows:
The FAQ Topic -- 10.9: Is there a way I can verify if my memory is good?
The chief complaint with this is that it refers to there being four disk LEDs when the DUO only has two.
Everything is spelled out there but the main difference is that you should view the DUO as having only the first two of the four LEDs and so the eight-step test indication is shown using only the first two LEDs. So, when the test starts up the patterns will look like this:
10 00 Step 1
01 00 Step 2
11 00 Step 3
00 10 Step 4
10 10 Step 5
01 10 Step 6
11 10 Step 7
00 01 Step 8
The first column above are the first two binary digits in a binary counter and also represent the first two disk LEDs. On the DUO, you only see these first two digits/LEDs. For us DUO users, it appears that the tests run twice all by themselves. But remember, we only see the first two digits of the binary counter as it counts to eight. ;)
Also, when running, the power button LED will flash 2-3 times a second. As far as I can tell, as long as this is flashing, the unit is in this diagnostic mode and wont be accessible over the network.
Now when I ran my test, I ran it twice and the test reported no problems, i.e., the memory was good but the FAQ question lists what to look for if the test detects an issue. With the assumption that the LEDs are used as if there were four, if the test fails on the DUO, using this statement from the FAQ:
"If the first and second LED blink, followed by the 3rd and 4th LEDs, in alternating pattern, the memory is bad. "
I would expect the DUOs version would be the two disk LED will flash together, first on, then off, then on, etc. Mine finished and was shown by the power button still flashing and both disk LEDs illuminated.
In either case, the test is done at this point and will NOT reboot or boot up into normal mode. See below for what to do. My test took an hour and ten minutes to complete, with a 512 MB SoDIMM module installed. I ran the test twice, as suggested.
After each test is finished, the proper next step is to pull the power cord from the back of the DUO then reconnect and power back up, either repeating the memory test procedure of waiting for the LEDs to flash five times, or just powering up normally by pressing the power button once. This was posted here: http://www.readynas.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=101624#p101624
Anyway, I hope this helps folks who run the memory test on the DUO. There is nothing new in this post but I did collect some useful pieces of info so new DUO users don't panic when running the test.
My DUO was running 4.1.4 of the firmware, BTW.
5 Replies
- Good post, the FAQ is in the process of getting a lot of updates.
- Just to clarify a little further with 4.1.5, each of the eight steps took my Duo about 9 minutes, totalling about an hour and 12 minutes for 1gb of the approved Crucial RAM.
When complete, both drive LED's and the green Activity LED come on solid, but the blue power switch LED continues to flash around 3 times a second. The power plug was then removed, let go for a good 10 seconds, plugged it back in and powered it up for a second round, all passing.
Good stuff! Looking forward to years of service with my little 2tb Duo. 8) - It would be really nice if the memory test could write the results to the Duo's system log. Just so no one misinterprets the LEDs. Or the system log of all ReadyNAS units. Perhaps an idea for the next firmware?
- Not possible, as the memory test runs before the kernel for RAIDiator is loaded, so it has no way to write to the filesystem or other devices.
chirpa wrote: Good post, the FAQ is in the process of getting a lot of updates.
I just went through this exercise 2 months later and I agree with you - yes, the FAQ could do with some help if you get the time - would have saved me some hair tearing today :) At least I managed to find this authoritative source on the topic - thanks..
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